There aren't really any short cuts. Gaining levels in Baldur's Gate is a lengthy and painful process. If you feel up to it, you may go and take on an ogre which is south east of the Friendly Arm somewhere (ogres gives you 650XP each if I recall correctly)...there are also certain areas where tough opponents will spawn a lot, and you can simply rest, and wait for them to appear, then dispose of them and cash in the experience point. This is very difficult to do at early levels, though. Just hang in there. It is not a game to be rushed.

THACO affects how well your character fights. The lower THACO you have, the better he/she is. I don't remember the exact system for it, but it is an abbrevation for To Hit Armour Class 0. So the lower, the better. This will increase much if you level up in a fighting class.

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Are they dead? Yes. Unlike you they have but one life...and they wasted it for your sake!

When I first started playing Baldur's Gate a long time ago (about 8 years ago or so), I noticed some blackened areas. I didn'tgo out in these, until one of my friends told me that itwas just darkened since I haven't discovered it yet.

After that I ventured out into the darkness, and the darkness was lifted, and I got a lot morexp points this way.

Maybe you already know this. If you do, then I'm sorry for telling you, but if you didn't....

If you travel on the roads there usually are some bandits or hobgoblins to be killed or some pesky Xivilais to be killed.

You could have gotten rid of Xzar just by killing him. That's why I normally do. Xzar will stay dead...

I think (but this is just me) that it probably would have been better to leave Xzar in a empty building. You may need to go to the Temple of Wisdom later in the game...

As Drizzt say, leveling in Baldur's Gate 1 is a very slow process, but you'll get there. Also, I remember fighting some bandits (hobgoblins) on the way from Candlekeep to the Friendly Arm in.

When you get into the Friendly Arm, there are one or two (or more) people who have quests for you to do. And these do give some xp points.

Along with the guards on the steps to FAI, I managed to kill the bad guy. Went inside and recruited Jaheira and Khalid and then went solo up stairs and got the quest for the spiders. Now I guesss that it is time for me to return to Bergost again but will buy antidote potions before I enter the house. I picked up a Wand of Missiles from Imoen. Now who should I give it to if my pc is busy fighting? Are there spells that I can get for Jaheira to use and if so, where can I find them?

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Keep smiling and the world will smile with you.-------------------

Your Mage can use most wands, although some of them can only be used by a cleric or druid.

Jaheira's spells don't have to be learned. She will get more spells when she levels up. She does have to memorize spells before sleeping, just like a mage. This is true for clerics, as well. They have 'innate' magical abilities.

There are also cleric/druid spell scrolls throughout the game. These are one-time use spells only, good for emergencies.

Well I finally got Imoen to level 2. This was by going north from fai and finding the fishermen. Then went north to find Tenya for her quest. Boy, those Ankegs are mean and I had to reload several times to keep away from them. What level should I be before I attempt to fight them? I got Jaheira to level 2 also but I forgot to see if she has any more spells that I can use. I noticed on the map a place called Peldvale. What can I do there and when? My party is now back at Bergost. I noticed in the walkthru that there are quests that I can do. Should I do them now or continue on to Naskel and return later on?

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Keep smiling and the world will smile with you.-------------------

Ankhegs are dangerous until you have a party of about level 4 or greater. The best way to tak them out is wih ranged weapons. They cast nasty spells, so you need to take them down FAST.

It sounds as though you need to head south. Jaheira and Khalid will expect you to take them to Nashkel, and Jaheira will start complaining if you don't. There are lots of enemies along the road and in the countryside bordering the road, so the journey to Nashkel will gain you some experience as well.

The storyline actually wants you to go to Nashkel, although you can stop in Beregost for some mini-adventures. In Nashekl you will be given a quest relating to the Nashkel Mines.

In Beregost you will meet Garrick. He is a bard and can cast spells as well as pickpocket and sing battle songs. He uses a crossbow, I think. He is very useful for pickpocketing. And for pickpocketing two people in particular, one of whom has a very nice cloak; the other has a very, very nice sword.

In the carnival area next to Nashkel (east) there is a quest to save a woman who has been turned to stone. If you need a really good cleric, this is a good quest.

In Nashkel you will meet Minsc, who wants you to save someone. This is worth doing, and you can end up with two of the best compansions in the game, but I sugggest avoiding Minsc for the time being.

Do the Nashel Mine first. Minsc's quest is timed, and MUST be done within a certain time period, so you have to make sure you're ready and have lots of arrows and bullets, etc.

I would advice you to fo to Peldvale and do the Quest. Mainly because certain events will happen in Nashkell which are very nasty for low level characters.

As for Jaheira, just open her spellbook and select the spell, you want. (btw, the moon icon at the bottom of her inventory screen can be accessed at any time to get her to cast her equipped spells).

It is generally a good idea to explore all of the areas around Candlekeep, Friendly Arm Inn and Beregost fully, and any and all quests in these areas as well.

And yes, the ankhegs can be tough. I usually wait until I have a mage or so which can cast web. Then I cast web or chromatic orb on them.And blast them with fireball spells. My advice to you is to wait until your mage has gotten a fireball spell.

Jaheria has a nice little level 1 spell called entangle which comes in rather handy as well..

I have been trying to get to Nashkel but the baddies are nasty along the road. First it was the hobgoblins and then further on Jaheira got killed by knolls. I have her equipped with a spear but maybe I should have her use a sling, bullets and a shield. Will this help me? I have picked up Kivan when I went to High Hedge for a bit so my party now consists of the following: pc/fighter, Imoen/thief, Khalid/fighter, Jaheira/druid and Kivan/range. I did some experimenting with setting the current XP and found that it takes me to get to level 6 with my pc before I can have 2 melee skill points and 2 ranged skill points. Almost the same with Imoen to get her to level 6 to almost max out her open lock skill and her find trap skill. I will reload to an earlier save when I continue with the game and see how many hours,days or weeks it will take me to get them to that level.Karsten-Will my party survive the quest at Peldvale with my level 2 people? This game is so frustrating to me compared with playing the dungeon siege series that I have been playing for a long time. I hope that I can get used to BG before I attempt to try BG2.

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Keep smiling and the world will smile with you.-------------------

Yes, I think having Jaheira using a sling will be a good idea. That way she can stay a bit out of the fight, which really should be left to frontline people like Khalid and yourself.

Note that Jaheira also is able to use a short sword (since she ia a fighter too). She can also use throwing weapons such as darts, trowing knives and such.

BTW, what did you you do with Montaron?? A mage, even at low level is a great help for any party as mages can cast spells like magic missiles or chromatic orbs.

Your fighters can use any weapons, this means they can use throwing axes as well as bow and crossbows.

The combat in Baldur's Gate is a bit strategic and tactical. What I normally do is having Imoen scout ahead while in stealth mode (hide in shadows). Then have her fire an arrow on the monsters or enemies. Then run her back to the party, and have Kivan shoot arrows at them, too.Then have Jaheira cast entangle, and bless on the party. Remember to stay close together.

If you

The level cap in BG1 is about level 7 or 8, I think. This means that to get to level 6 will take you a great deal of time. I think I usually am level 5 or 6 about chapter 4 (or maybe 5) or so.

Alsom you need to take the armour, and weapons and such from your enemies or the monsters you kill. This can give you better armor that you have, while it re-stocks your weapon supplies as well. (and if you kill a wolf, remember to take its pelt, as these pelts can be sold in Nashkell).

As for Imoen, along the road somewhere, you will find a shadowy hide whic will boost your stealth as well as your find traps abilities. I'll always spend points in find traps and stealth early on as this way Imoen can be most useful to the party early on in the game.

Baldur's Gate 1 needs a lot you thinking ahead, and you actively managing the party's inventories.

You also need to think like this: What is the fighter's strenght: OK, it is to fight. Then they need to go in the front line. The Ranger and Thief --- not so much, but they can shoot arrows from afar at enemies/monsters. Druids are great at healing, and to cast spells like bless on the enemies as well as casting entangle on the enemies as well.

You change the way you party moves on the road by simply clicking the portrais up and down.The characters with the most HitPoints need to go first, while the character with the least hit point need to go last. (usually, this means that your mage goes last).

Also, remember it is far better than to max outyour weapon's skill. If you have 5 starts in say Long Sword, then this will give you much more than having two stars in Long Sword and Long Bow.

It has been a while since I've played Baldur's Gate, so it hard for me to say what you should be doing. BUtr having looked at the walkthru at dudleyville.com, I would say that you should wait.

However, you could try to go to Temple (east of the road ) and pick up a quest where you go to Red Canyons.

Or you could just stay on the main road, still going strong, keeping an eye on your goal for the present time being: Go to Nashkell.

I think that this is what I would be doing right now. (I think if you wait to long to go there, that eventually Khalid and Jaheira may leave).

That is the safest move right now: Just stay close to the road, and press on to Nashkell.

This game, Baldur's Gate 1, will not punish you in either way, if you leave a difficult area, and come back some time later to --- well ----do some damage.

Even with a walkthru, this game requires some panning. You need to plan ahead that if I go to say Beregost, this means I can do that quest, and if I go to Temple this means I can do that quest. And it is the quest which in the first part of the game, irrc, gives you more XP points than combat.

Personally, I would avoid Peldvale at lower levels. The enemies there use anchanted arrows and are deadly.

Nashkel is the place to go. That is the quest that has been 'strongly suggested' by your new companions, Jaheira and Khalid.

While there are dangerous enemies around the Nashkel mine area, the mine itself is not too difficult, except at the very end, and if you have a number of fighters and Jaheira, with her entangle spell, you should be able to do it. And there are some little quests in and around Nashkel.

Well I have my group now at Nashkell and everyone is still alive. I reloaded the game so that my pc and Imoen are at level 2. I didn't know til now that there is a level cap at 7 or 8. Should I add anyone to my group as I lost Monty at Bergost in a fight with Silke. He just disappeared with no death portrait. I will equip Jaheira with a sling to see if she lasts longer. Should I go ahead and dual class Imoen to a Mage even at her low level? How about adding Edwin at this point or will he get mad if I don't go to the area where Dynaheir is and kill her? I am at a loss for my 6th character at this point.

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Keep smiling and the world will smile with you.-------------------

When someone dies and there is NO death portrait it means that they are so badly hurt they can't get resurrected.

And do you mean he fled the scene or that his portrait wasn't on screen anymore ? If the latte is the case, this means that Montaron has died in such a manner that he cannot be resurrected.Then you need to reload. [Please note that you quicksave the game at any time by pressing the letter Q on your keyboard].

I would advice you to load an earlier save, and fight Silke again. And since Montaron is a wizard, you can have him a great deal away from Silke. You then maybe need a figther, maybe Kivan, to protect Montaron.

I think giving a sling to Jaheira is a good idea.Just use her spells as well.

As for dual classing Imoen, I haven't any experience with dual classing Imoen. However, I would think that dual classing her now would be good idea, since this means that she can't use her thieving skills before she is a level 3 wizard. (if I have remembered this correctly).

Alternatively, you could pick up Edwin. And then discharge him again, when you decide to pick up Dynaheir. (You need to discharge Kivan then, too I think). You need to do this, since you need to pick up Minsc before you pick up Dynaheir.

I also think that if you discharges Minsc, then Dynaheir will also leave ??

Monty's portrait wasn't on the screen anymore after killing Silke. I will reload an earlier save. This is what I did. I loaded a save that has the following group:Me/fighterImoen/thiefMontaron/fighter, thiefXzar/necromancer.I am at Bergost and all of us are at level 1. Should I travel to FAI to pickup Khalid and Jaheira or forget them and travel to Nashkel instead?

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Keep smiling and the world will smile with you.-------------------